


Hour of Separation

by feistypants



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, What if Kristoff left
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:00:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24114658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feistypants/pseuds/feistypants
Summary: What if Kristoff couldn't handle Anna's change from Princess to Queen? What if he felt it was better for everyone if he left? What if six years passed?
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff (Disney)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 19





	Hour of Separation

**Author's Note:**

> ahtohallan-calling asked for me to make her cry. I think I succeeded? Maybe.

He heard her before he saw her. That laugh - he would never, ever forget that  _ laugh _ . It haunted him in his dreams, so warm and soft and bright, never for him, never again. It had been six years since it was for  _ him _ , and he had done a very good job of avoiding it until now. But he had been taking on odd jobs ever since he left her, ever since her sister had decided there was no more need for an  _ Ice Master _ , and this was the only job available - but it had dropped him right in the middle of the royal gardens.

Right in the middle of so many memories.

Right in the middle of her whole  _ life _ .

He was frozen solid, her footsteps growing closer. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, clenched tighter at the shovel in his hands, and locked his eyes on the stone pathway in front of them. The man overseeing the project whacked him upside the head, said something about slacking, and scoffed furiously about a deduction in pay. But Kristoff didn’t care, if it meant she would pass without seeing him.

But he had never been a lucky man.

“Your Majesty,” another man next to him bowed. “Such an honor.”

The queen sighed and waved a hand in front of her face. “Please! Just Anna is fine.”

Kristoff kept his head down, eyes trained on the  _ second _ set of feet beside hers. Definitely a man, definitely a royal. 

“Darling,” his voice was smooth and proud, and Kristoff felt an overwhelming urge to punch him right in the mouth. “We have to head back up, your sister is waiting.” The way he spoke reminded him of…  _ No _ . Anna wouldn’t wind up with someone like  _ him _ . She just  _ wouldn’t _ .

“Oh, Filip, I  _ know _ , but --” He heard the anxiety in her voice - He could pick it out from a single word - and couldn’t stop his head from jerking up to look at her as his heart thudded against his ribs. He had to see if he was mistaken. 

He was. 

She was smiling, and so was  _ Filip _ , as he teased her with a poke of his finger on the tip of her nose and she straightened the lapels of his jacket, the enormous diamond on her finger glistening in the sunlight. She seemed so happy. Even as she shook her head when he pulled her closer, loose curls bouncing around her shoulders. 

She looked so  _ beautiful _ , as if time hadn’t touched her, while  _ he _ had let his hair and beard grow long and had generally let himself go as he wallowed in his cabin waiting for the next job. He had taken for granted how much good manual labor had done for his physique, and knew he was softer around the middle now.

A memory of her pinching at a small roll that had formed over the waist of his pants as she teased him about getting  _ too _ comfortable in the castle steamrolled over him as he tightened his grip on his shovel and turned to move. He couldn’t handle what came after, her reassuring words and hands and ‘ _ I’ll love you no matter what you look like’ _ s twisted the knife already embedded in his chest. 

This was the worst decision he had made since he walked out of the palace six years ago, and he needed to leave.  _ Now _ .

“Bjorgman, don’t be  _ rude _ .”

A hand clapped over his shoulder as he was spun back to face the royal couple. 

Her eyes grew wide as her gaze met his, and he did his best to bite back the red flush he knew was tinting his cheeks.

“Your Majesty,” he started, his eyes dropping back to the stone. “Your Grace.”

A hissed whisper came beside him, and Kristoff knew he would be facing yet another deduction of wages. “You  _ look _ royals in the  _ eyes _ , boy.”

“Oh, dear no,”  _ Filip _ started, taking a step forward. “Please, that’s unnecessary, sir.” He held out a hand in front of Kristoff’s face, offering a shake. “We’re not ones for formalities.”

He nodded once before taking a step back. “Thank you, your Grace.”

“Filip --”  _ Now _ there was anxiety in her voice, this time he was certain. “I think I need to lie down…” 

He couldn’t stop his eyes. He had to look, had to make sure she was  _ okay _ . 

Even if it wasn’t his responsibility anymore.

“Oh, of course, my love.” His hand settled low on her stomach as he pressed a kiss against her forehead. “You both should get some rest.”

_ Both _ .

_ So, when we’re married, we’re going to have lots of children, right _ ?

Kristoff felt his throat tightening as he struggled to swallow.

_ As many as you want. _

_ At least three -- no, four. Four means they’ll each always have someone, right? _

He felt dizzy. He felt darkness seeping into the edge of his vision. He heard her gasp, heard her take two steps towards him, heard a muffled “Sir? Are you all right?” and felt firm hands easing him onto a bench. A far away “stay with him, Anna,” and a quick glimpse of red hair and blue eyes kneeling before him. Multiple sets of footsteps retreating. Tears clinging to eyelashes. Soft hands cupping his cheeks, resting softly against his forehead.

“ _ Kristoff _ ,” whispered, urgent and scared. “ _ Look at me _ .”

He could never deny her anything.

“Hi,” she sighed, a smile pulling at her lips as he cracked open his eyes. “Welcome back.”

To consciousness, or to  _ her _ ?

He felt her thumbs stroke his cheeks and could have cried at the tenderness of it. Like nothing had changed. Like he hadn’t left. He couldn’t help but lean into her touch, years of tension draining from his shoulders just like  _ that _ . “Are you --”

“Anna, is he awake?”

She pulled away from him as if he had scorched her. “Y-yes.” She stood quickly. “He’s coming around.”

Filip practically skidded to a halt beside her, offering a glass of water to Kristoff. “Here… I imagine the sun got to him.”

Anna wouldn’t look at him again.

“Probably,” he mumbled, his throat sore from a distinct lack of usage. “I’m sorry for any trouble --”

“Please, sir, no trouble at all.” Filip knelt before him, offering up a silk rag. “I’ve set up a room for you inside the palace.”

“ _ No _ ,” Kristoff snapped, shaking his head. “I’ll be fine.”

“I  _ insist _ .”

He clenched his jaw, turned his gaze up to Anna, waiting for her answer.

“Please,” she smiled, her eyes soft. “Come inside.”

He tried to pretend like he didn’t know exactly where they were headed. Like he didn’t know the exact layout of the palace, and of all the hidden passageways. Like he didn’t know that they were settling him into his  _ own _ bedroom. He saw the concern about it on Anna’s features, too, as they rounded the corner.

“I’ll have someone send up some food and some tea.” Filip gave a squeeze to Anna’s hand, smiling. “Anna, if you need me, just call.”

She nodded, squeezed him back, and watched him leave.

Leave them alone.

Together.

_ Here _ .

The door shut behind him, and they were left swimming in a tension that was thick enough to cut.

“Anna --”

“Don’t speak.”

His heart was hammering in his chest as his eyes lingered on the back of her head. He knew her too well, knew where freckles lay under her thick hair, knew that she was chewing on her lip as she decided what to say, knew exactly how her brows were furrowed together.

He wanted to touch her. Wanted to pull her into his lap as they had for so many nights on this exact bed, wanted to tell her that he was  _ here _ and he was  _ sorry _ and if he could do it all over again he never would have left.

But he couldn’t do any of that.

She squared her shoulders, rolling them back and down as she straightened her spine, and Kristoff knew exactly what expression she would turn around with. Knew that if he grinned and called her  _ baby _ , she’d scrunch up her nose to fight back a smile, but would wind up with her arms around his neck as he kissed her tenderly.

There it was.

Frustration mixed with worry. A line he would smooth down with a stroke of his thumb between her eyebrows. A tension he would help her ease.

But he couldn’t, he couldn’t, he couldn’t.

“Are you okay to stand?”

He was confused, but he nodded and stood, still towering over her.

“Come here.”

He would always do as he was told. It barely took three strides to meet her, anyway.

His eyes scanned her face, clearly worried and unsure as she lifted her hands hesitantly. Palms rested on his chest, and he could feel her shaking. 

“ _ Anna _ \--”

Arms were wrapping around his neck, then, as she pulled and  _ pulled _ and he found himself hunched over just enough for her to hug him with her cheek pressed against his. It took no time for his arms to snake around her waist, too, holding her as close as he could as he breathed in familiar scents of honeysuckle.

“I…” her voice was weak, whispered, scared beside him. “I hated you so much.”

He nodded, his grip only tightening. “I know.”

“I never wanted to see you again.”

“I  _ know _ .”

“I…” He felt her sob, felt the movement as it rolled through her.

His hand rose to the back of her head, dirty fingers digging into her scalp. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say that.” Her voice cracked, and he felt her grip loosening. No. No,  _ no _ . He wasn’t ready to let go yet. But he’d never made her do something she didn’t want to, and he wasn’t about to start now. “If you say that…” Her fingers slid to rest on his shoulders. “If you’re  _ sorry _ …”

He was suddenly distracted by the bob of her throat as she swallowed.

“Then you left for nothing.”

He  _ did _ leave for nothing.

“Just stand by your decision, Kristoff.”

Almost seven years as queen had changed her. She was more sure of herself than he had ever seen her before. He nodded.

“Thank you.”

They stood in silence for longer than he would have liked. He felt it was up to him to break it, this time. “Anna…” She looked up at him and he felt small under her gaze. “Are you… happy?”

_ Would you be happier with me? _

“I…” He saw her straighten just so, like the first night he met her, like she was trying to convince him she was something she wasn’t. “I am.”

“You hesitated.”

Her cheeks flushed, and he lifted a hand to cup hers still pressed against his chest.

“I did  _ not _ .”

“Are you  _ happy _ ?”

Her eyelashes fluttered as she clenched her jaw and tensed her shoulders. “I already said I  _ am _ . I…”

Kristoff felt a selfish twinge of hope in his chest. She could be  _ happier _ . She could be happier with  _ him _ . “You can tell me the truth.” He felt an exhilaration rushing through his veins. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

Just like he couldn’t say no to her,  _ she _ couldn’t lie to him about anything.

“I tried to move on, you know.” Her eyes dropped to the floor, burning a hole in the carpet. “Filip is… he’s wonderful. Truly.”

“ _ But _ …”

“But…” She sighed, and pulled away from him, her fingers clenching at her sides. “But nobody is you, Kristoff.”

He wanted her back, he wanted this life back. He wasn’t complete without her and,  _ and _ \--

“But that doesn’t matter.”

He felt his heart shatter again. 

“We’re… getting married in a month and… We have a baby on the way…”

“I love you.”

That was the worst thing he could have said, as her face contorted in a way he was familiar with, but had never been the cause of. “But you  _ left. _ ”

And then, so did she.


End file.
